JeffMads Modern AU | Year 1 {Complete}

Someone Under Stress (Spoiler: It's Thomas)

Allow me to set the scene.

It was 10 at night and we were in one of the schools auditoriums. Thomas was frantically trying to get the attention of his small group. I sat in the audience, yawning and trying to stay awake.

"Guys!" Thomas shouted, "we just have to run this scene one more time and then you can leave."

There were grumbles from the group as they took their places once again.

"Hey I have a question," one girl said.

"Shoot, and quickly," Thomas responded.

"Why do we have to put on Romeo and Juliet? Why not something else?" The girl complained.

"Cuz it's Shakespeare! You can't just not put on Shakespeare!" Another girl said.

"And what do you propose we put on, Cosette?" Thomas crossed his arms.

"I don't know... just something-"

"High school musical!" Someone else shouted.

There were murmurs of agreement from the gaggle of people.

Thomas facepalmed. "We're in college, not high school, now let's just do the scene. Alright it's act four, scene two, and Jeremy, it's your line."

"Right, Okay," said Jeremy, "So many guests invite as here are writ.  Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks."

A girl responded, "you shall have none ill sir, for I'll try if they can lick their fingers."

"How canst thou try them so?" Capulet, aka Jeremy, asked.

All was running smoothly until the Juliet came on stage, and if you don't know Romeo and Juliet, she came on within four more lines.

"Ah, see where she comes from shrift with merry look," the Nurse, who was played by Cosette, said.

"How now my head-" Jeremy yawned,
"-strong, where have you been gadding?"

"Where I have learned me to repent the sin," Juliet started. (I didn't know her name) "Of disobedient opposition... uh... to you and your behests, and am enjoined.... I- well..." she broke character. "What's my line?"

"Ana! You're supposed to be off book!" Thomas called out.

"I am! I just don't remember-"

"You haven't remembered your lines for the past few scenes." Thomas groaned. "We open in a fortnight, Ana, that's 2 weeks!" He ran his hand through his hair. "You can all leave. Have a good night."

The troupe disbanded.

Thomas sat down on the edge of the stage and slipped off.

He made his way to the chair next to me.

"This is a mess. A complete and utter mess. This is our final grade for the semester and no ones taking it seriously."

"I'm sure they'll come around, also what happened to your real director?" Thomas played Romeo, he shouldn't have been directing.

"Oh, Chloe Valentine? She thinks she's  too cool to direct this for us, even when she said she'd rather direct Shakespeare than be in Shakespeare. She said it was this whole thing, I wasn't really listening." He bit his lip. "We are so not ready."

"Well are you ready? Do you know your lines?" I questioned.

"Yes, Everybody does, besides Ana. She got lead, because she's a fantastic actor, better than all of us, but she's had this problem all semester long. She always gets it together last minute, probably with black magic or something."